Friday, June 24, 2016

Tears for MS Treasures

We Prepare to Disembark MS Treasures

A very sad day in our lives. We are being forced to depart from our ship.

Disembarkation was without chaos. Bags out at the civilized hour of 8:30 am, to be trucked directly to the Ritz-Carlton in Budapest.

We ate our last spinach/mushroom omelet in the Compass Rose dining room, said farewell to those continuing on to Amsterdam, and boarded yet another bus for a city tour of the Pest side.

It's still hot and humid, very very of both. Thankfully the coaches have a/c!

We visited the incredible Parliament building, walking up and down many, many stairs.

Every surface is decorated. The main domed area honors all the kings of Hungary and displays the crown jewels in a seismic-protected case.

Back on the bus and down the Budapest version of Paris' Champs Elysses -- Andrassy Boulevard. Here are incredible homes, upscale shopping, trees to shade everything, and views that kept us turning our heads from "on the left side" and "on the right side."

At the end of Andrassy Blvd, the Hero's Square, honoring Hungary's Hero's. Columns and statues amazingly, all in correct proportion.

Obviously Hero's Square is a gathering place. We had the honor of getting to see an exhibit of "Stalin" Cars. Cars developed during Communist times that were not good to drive or to look at, and barely able to navigate.

Finally on to St. Stephen's Basilica/Cathedral. Speechless! The only Roman Catholic altar in the world that has a statue of the king/saint on the high altar.

This case holds the hand of St Stephens.

Back on the bus to an indoor market. This huge building (there are 3-4 of them in greater Budapest) has 3 floors of stalls. From the vendors you can buy trashy trinkets, t-shirts, embroidered everything, food, beer, etc. The ground floor is one large grocery story -- stalls with sausages, meats, veggies, sweets, paprika, etc.

By this time we've been on/off the (damn) bus too many times. We've been adequately entertained and educated; we've seen and heard and walked and learned to stay out of the bike lanes that are well-marked on every major sidewalk.It's now time for the hotel -- The Ritz Carlton.

Nice hotels are the traveler's home/haven and we take advantage of the peace and quiet and shower and update on the US Stock Market and the Brexit stories. A quiet dinner en suite' from our Market shopping:Pate', and the famous Cream Cake.

Life is good -- even if it continues to be hot and humid. Thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow...ah for a good night's sleep.....